Weyward

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Separated by centuries but connected by family and sharing similar misfortunes at the hands of misogynistic men. 'Weyward' is the story of three women, their tumultuous lives, and their determination to survive against the odds. This is Kate’s story who has escaped an abusive relationship, is pregnant but determined to rebuild a life with her child away from a bullying and violent husband. The most recent story set in 2019. Violet is a young girl in a comparative life of privilege, living in a large manor, but is more interested in collecting insects and climbing trees than in becoming a proper young lady. She is generally ignored in favour of her brother Graham and is denied a future career in science because of her sex. In 2019, Kate inherited a shabby Weyward Cottage in the U.K. from her Great Aunt, Violet, who she barely remembers.

Told in separate narratives that intertwine ever tighter as their stories unfold, Weyward is an epic drama of three remarkable women finding their strength and power through the words of each other and a unique common legacy. Weyward spans three women's lives in three different centuries, connected by blood and one very unique gift. The writing's beautiful, the women are wonderful, and each narrative is as compelling as the next. Alive, vivid, gripping. Real magic." –– Abigail Dean, New York Times bestselling author of Girl A I am fairly new to the magical realism genre but I am fast learning why it is so popular. This particular book encapsulates many genres other than magical realism, we have some women's fiction and of course the historical side. What I found most fascinating was Emilia Hart's ability to set scenery, her way of describing sights, sounds and smells was visceral and I could easily picture all three ladies' lives in my mind's eye. Maybe I should have anticipated the content in this based on the synopsis, but I really did not expect the endless amount of abuse featured here. Every single storyline in this involves physical, sexual, and psychological abuse of women at the hands of men. On top of that, the three women featured are fairly isolated and have very little support, and most of the male characters are vile and controlling abusers with no nuance. The suspense around the climax of this novel is buil Kate also loves reading: she and I both take great solace in books and storytelling. On a lighter note, Kate is frightened of birds when she first arrives at Weyward Cottage. She and I have that in common.

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

And it is, save for the fact that I’ve read it before — hi there, New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman — over twenty years ago, in fact. The first Weyward child is always a girl, each of whom share a common familial gift: the ability to connect and communicate with nature. I also learned about local history — in particular the ‘Pendle’ witch trials that took place in nearby Lancaster in 1612 (so called because most of the defendants were from the Pendle Hill area). There seemed to be this juxtaposition between the stunning, peaceful countryside and this dark history of misogyny. Despite this enormous range in years, it is clear that whatever the time-period, the women never have it easy. Altha is a healer who is on trial for witchcraft, accused of killing a local man. Known locally for her uncanny connection with nature and animals, she is seen by many as a threat that in a time of witch-hunting must be eliminated. I read some brilliant books about witch trials — both the witch trials in England more broadly and then some specific titles about the Pendle witch trials. The Pendle witch trials are rare in that they are extremely well-recorded, thanks to a pamphlet titled The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster published by Thomas Potts in 1613. Thomas Potts was a law clerk who attended the trial (overseen by Justices Altham and Bromley) and his account presents itself as an accurate record of the proceedings. This was fascinating to read, but as modern historians have pointed out, it is extremely biased and sensationalized!

Violet (Kate's great aunt) 1940s-2018(ish) - After her mother died when she was a child Violets father did all in his power to erase her from his childrens memory. Violet was kept secluded, but when a cousin who's fighting in the war comes to visit everything changes and she's again exciled to her mother's old cabin where she learns the secrets about her mother that her father had been hiding. I knew that I wanted a word with ‘witchy’ connotations to use for the family’s last name, as well as the name of the cottage. Macbeth seemed an appropriate place to look — the three witches around their cauldron are, I think, a huge influence on representations of witches in our culture — and it felt like serendipity to discover that the ‘weird’ sisters had originally been ‘weyward’. I wanted to take the traditional image of a witch and turn it on its head, asking the reader what sort of woman attracts this label. Perhaps someone who doesn’t — or won’t — conform to patriarchal standards and expectations. She is twenty-nine-years old and was being abused by boyfriend, Simon. She was pregnant with his baby….and needed to get away.The author points out at the beginning that the word ‘Weyward’ is used in the First Folio edition of Macbeth, although in later editions ‘Weyward’ was replaced by ‘Weird’. in 1619, Altha Weyward is a teenager. Her mother has passed, she doesn't know her father and she is fighting for her life. She has been accused of witchcraft and killing a neighbor with her powers. How is she able to endure it? I’ve written stories for as long as I can remember, but I don’t think I really found my ‘voice’ until I became a lawyer. The studying and practice of law emphasized to me the importance of precise, concise language — I try to ensure that every word earns its place in a sentence. What's it About? An epic drama of three remarkable women finding their strength and power through the words of each other and a unique common legacy.